Murdered widow was targeted, police say

A 78-year-old widow was murdered in her condo unit over the weekend and police say they believe she was targeted in the attack.

Toronto police held a news conference Monday afternoon in an effort to boost public awareness about the case and to plead with witnesses to come forward.

The woman, identified as Manijeh Bostani-Khamsi, was seen on Wednesday, Nov. 14 going about her daily routine, police said. Three days later, she was found dead inside her Wynford Drive apartment. Police have not said how the woman died but said there were obvious signs of trauma to her body.

“Sometime on Friday, a person entered her apartment where an altercation occurred and she was murdered,” said Toronto police homicide detective Mike Carbone. “There is no information to indicate that it was a random attack.

“I can say I believe she was targeted. The question is why,” he said.

Investigators need the public’s help to track her movements in the days before she died. Detectives have gone door-to-door in the building, asking residents about the deceased woman.

“We are asking residents to take their minds back to this time period and ask that they try and recall if they saw anything strange,” he said.

The woman’s husband passed away a few years ago and she has lived alone in the DVP and Eglinton Avenue upscale highrise ever since. She has family but they live abroad.

Carbone released few details about the investigation, refusing to say if the murderer had forced his way inside the apartment or if there is evidence to suggest the woman knew her attacker.

“We have faith in what we’re doing right now and we’ll put every possible resource into trying to apprehend this person,” he said.

Detectives are currently going through video that was captured on the building’s surveillance cameras to see if they can spot a suspect.

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